The Council Communities of Allani: Facts, numbers, flavour!

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The Free Council Community/Communities of Allani



Freedom, Work, Councils!

Capital (and largest city): Estaria
Official languages: Allani, English.
Population: Roughly 10,002,000.
Ethnic groups 85% Allan, 18% other minority groups, 2% Roma.
Demonym: Allani
Government: Federally organized council communes.
"Head of State": No state, no head. A list of well-known personalities in the government will be shown below.
Foundation:
- Foundation of Allani: 902
- Recognized as Kingdom - First king: Igar I of Allani December 972
- Current Revolutionary Society: October 13, 1937
Total Area: Strongly Disputed. Thought to be approx. 92,050 square kilometers.

GDP: Very hard to tell with the radically different economic systems in place, but thought to be some 200 billion for an average per capita of 20,000, measured in US Dollars for the sake of easy comparison.

Science

Allani scientists are in general above average, and 2 Allani doctors have received the Nobel prize for their achievements (Alan Manics, for developing anti-septic and anti-biotic bacteriae that fight mutant virae immune to penicillin without making them resistant to themselves; and Goran Allman, for his achievements in inventing new vaccines against germ and chemical warfare agents. Allman, it must be noted, turned down receiving the award, citing evidence that he "just made the dictatorships around the world intent on making uglier weapons now"). Several reknowned mathematical and physical universities dot the small nation, and the nation is knowned for it's great number of sociological and economic studies, forwarding (among other things) the models of libertarian socialist council socities and a libertarian council economic systems of federal management.

Scientific research advances are very haphazard in Allani, as no central authority gives differing grants. The scientists councils agree amonst themselves, in dialogue with the military and citizen councils, what areas should be prioritized, and how many scientists and resources are allocated to each. This means a great deal of work go towards research geared at increasing health care, defense, legal systems and civil technology such as manufacturing, agricultural tools and communications, but the individual fields will change often and greatly in relation to one another with regards to speed, intensity and resources and manpower used. Great leaps have generally only been made if a disaster or serious political crisis develops that unites the population at large behind a specific scientific goal.

Politics

The political organization of the territories of Allani is the one arena where they differ sizably from nearly every other nation in the world. The nation has no state at all, and no central or dominating decision-making authorities. Instead, a libertarian socialist political platform (ratified yearly) guides the decision-making process, with the express goal of ensuring the decisions are made by the ones they will affect. Thus, councils permeate every aspect of civil, mililtary and industrial life, with members of a given regiment, workplace or housing union making the decisions on what to do with the resources they control and that affect them. The largest councils, the three highest authorities in the nation, are:

The Federal Council of Workers
Made up of everyone who produces something, the FCW can be likened to a labour union with executive powers. All resource workers, industrial workers, farmers, manual labourers, construction crews, sailors and workers of every conceivable sort are members of this confederation, including those who work in the service industry, as well as artists and many of the citizens who would normally be labeled civil servants, such as policemen, teachers, pedagogues and nurses. The FCW coordinates the many labour unions who produce materials, products or services, and make sure that the massive 10 million-strong society receives the products it needs, from factories getting their raw materials and tools to housing, food and entertainment for the populace.

The Federal Military Council
Made up of every man and woman under arms in Allani. The FMC coordinates the numerous military councils in the nation, in order to conduct military exercises, maintain military hardware, patrol borders and maintain a cohesive, firm defense any potential enemies of the Allani people. Every member of the Allani Army, Air Force and Navy are a member of the FMC, and it also accepts members who wish to form paramilitary groups, aiding them with training and material as needed for their level of participation and local situation. Each branch and paramilitary group has their own sub-council, and another important part of the institution is the Federal Munitions and Supply Council (with both military and FCW members who work together to provide logistical support for the branches) and the Federal Defense Research Bureau, that develops military technology, trains specialist personnel and heads NBCR-weapon research programmes in cooperation with the Allani Federation of Scientists, a sub-union of the FCW.

The Supreme Citizen Council of Allani
The SCCA is the single highest authority in the country, by merit of having every single Allani Citizen as a member. Here, delegates from the FCW and FMC meet with the consumer councils who coordinate internal markets and the citizen councils who control individual cities and neighbourhoods. The SCCA is the Allani equivalent of a "government" - Instead of ministers, councils of 6 spokesmen in each deparment (the current platform designates the departments as Political, Civil, Judicial, Military, Health and Foreign). Where a council agrees by four sixths or more, current policy is formed - It must be noted, though, that all council members' actions are transparent, and the individual council members can have their mandate revoked at any time if the regional federation (of which there are, naturally, six) who elected them feels he or she violated their trust.

As one can imagine, this system came off to a very tough start, and where socialist and direct-democratic sentiment was not total, armed conflicts broke out, throughout the early history of the Allani revolution. Today, a mixture of checks (referenda, polls and anonymous whips and "vibe watchers") and a strong sense of solidarity and trust in their fellow citizens ensure that council members only have their mandate revoked if they violate it. This happens often enough, though, and ensures that the supreme government of Allani answers directly to the people itself.

((Much more to come, enjoy!))

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The Federal Workers Council

As described above, the FCW coordinates all workers who produce in Allani, no matter what form that production takes (that means that miners, farmers, teachers, artists, programmers and masseurs are equally valid members). This ensures that worker control is maintained - the FCW will simply boycot factories, shops or cooperatives who conspire to place a dominating manager or potential capitalist in control, upping sanctions if anti-social practices continue. This is not to say that any sort of domination is exerted over what sort of economic system is used in a given area, regional unions and individual councils may agree on any anti-capitalist economic system they wish. This combination of many economic systems is knowned by sociologists as the Panarchist Synthesis, and is a source for much frustration for more authoritarian-minded Allani economists, but is largely considered a cornerstone of the free Allani society. Of course, the system has become more cohesive with the years, as the ratification of the Allani platform has made the differing systems work in a planned national economy. When differing systems barter, they use the "Anyar" currency, which literally translated means "Our work". One Anyar is about the worth of 1.5 USD at present rates, and has proven an effective means of bringing the nation together as an economic power.

Here are a few examples:

the Federal Munitions and Supply Council, Air Force Division
Recognizing the need for a variety of advanced parts and munitions to keep air force material operating optimally, the FMSC-AFD uses a hierarchical gift economy of a sort unseen in other parts of the country to keep supply as fast as it needs be. Recquisitioning materials from the military industry, central planning organs of technicians hoard fuel and missiles so advanced aircraft like the Sukhoi fighter-bomber can be resupplied instantly if the situation needs it. If it needs to go fast, additional strain is placed on supplying factory collectives, but the AFD gladly spends Anyar credit with the workers to keep the situation up. This means the operational air force is a lot smaller than it could be, and the SCCA Military Council yearly reprimands the irresponsible model, but the AFD persists - After all, they argue, wouldn't you be sorry if we couldn't scramble armed fighter bombers with good pilots the day you need them?

The Economic Federal Union of Mascatta
One of the six great regions of Allani, Mascatta has a booming planned civil economy and a long anarcho-communistic tradition. All wares are produced by individually ruled plants, cooperatives and collectives, and offered up freely to other parts of the region or exported to Allani at large; and citizens and cooperatives are given whatever they ask for from central stores or service collectives. There is a strong work ethic, and those who can work but refuse to are all but ostracized, and are given basic credit needed to maintain health and dignity on the outskirts of Mascatta. Other regions see the Mascattans as a bit deluded, but welcome the variety of inexpensive or free products churned out of the many factories.

The village of Embla

A small settlement made up largely of protestant Allani, the citizens reject the large commitment to secular politics that other Allani seem to be so preoccupied with. Voting to secede from Allani in the formal sense, they live off the land and spend their days in quiet subsistence farm work and prayer. All people are welcomed to work and live in Embla, provided they profess belief in the divine. As such, many catholics, muslims, buddhists and pagans can be found here, quietly waiting off this life in what they consider the most dignified manner.

((Much more to come!))

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The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Allani

Formed initially from the ramshackle armed mutineer units, insurgents, rioters and workers cadres that defended the councils during the revolution of '36, the Federal Military Council of Allani is a unique military force in many respects. Using 2nd generation hardware with 1st generation morale, coupled with a completely new system of military organization, it is a colossus of differing norms, ideas and strategies. Also known as the Black Army or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Allani, the FMC is in daily parlance referred to as just "the military".

Organization

The formal leader of the FMC is General Matthius Galham, spokesperson for the Military Council, the "government" of the coordinating organ of the military itself. He is a sound general and has been re-elected both as commanding officer for his regiment, and as head of the FMC for ten consecutive years. He is reluctant in matters of foreign policy and prefers to work on organizing the armed forces, albeit it is well known that he is a determined strategist and has overseen military actions (largely border clashes and some peacekeeping operations) in the past. Beside him (but not below him; as in the other government councils 4 sixths of the membership must consent to a strategic order) are the following 5 members of the MC:

Air Marshal Diane Atell, spokeswoman for the Allani Air Force Council.
Admiral Nico Tannos, spokesman for the Allani Naval Council.
General Thomas Tingslef, leader of the 2nd Armoured Regiment council and noted interventionist advocate.
Major Maximillian Aslan, artillery brigade major and reknowned strategist.
Erika Andersen, spokeswoman for the United Paramilitary Group Council.

Every other year the current membership of the military council is ratified by citizen and military council referenda.

Below the council stands the branch councils (Air Force, Army, Navy, Paramilitary), each of which coordinate the councils under their purview. Each regiment, flight wing, naval squadron or paramilitary group elect representatives for the branch councils, but retain autonomy. Thus, in principle, a unit that does not support a given military action can opt not to participate, although it is considered extremely bad form, and there are many exceptions. For instance, strategic missiles, bombers and submarines are placed under direct FMC command, and a logistics crew keyed to a participating unit is legally bound to follow the unit they support to war.

On the local unit level, troopers elect their NCOs, and the NCOs act as representatives, electing their officers. While it might seem wasteful, seventy years of experience have produced very competent NCOs in most units, and officers are in many cases elected for being the most capable candidate, rather than because of luck, charisma or friends in high places.

Foreign Policy and the military

It would take a 3/4 majority vote in the SCCA to declare war or permit deployment of forces outside Allani, and even after that the FMC would have to achieve a 4/6 majority on the matter (although, the council system being what it is, FMC members voting against a war that has a majority in the SCCA would likely be replaced quickly).

Allani foreign policy is based on solidarity, and any military deployment with majority support will most likely be peacekeeping or defense against aggression. While not impossible, any attack war would need overwhelming popular support to get off the ground.

Strength and numbers

Federal Army Council

Commanding Officer: General Matthius Galham

The largest branch, the "Black Army" is the ground forces of Allani, and is currently composed of 50,700 men and women under arms, of which some 35,000 are combat effective. The FAC has 7 regiments:
The 2nd Armoured Regiment
The 3rd Armoured Regiment
The 66th Artillery Regiment
The 9th Mechanized Infantry
The 22nd Mechanized Infantry
The 23rd Light Infantry
The 8th Rangers Regiment

There are other groups and brigades of some reknown:
The 88th Engineer core brigade
The 52th Marine brigade
The 15th Special Operations brigade
The 19th Assault group.
The 5th Hazmat and NBCR containment and protection brigade.

A regiment in Allani military terminology is between three and five thousand man strong, and commanded by a Colonel, elected by batallion representatives. Morale is generally high, and exercises between regiments, paras and sympathetic neighbours keep the regiments in shape and ready.

((Air Force, Navy and Paras to come))

Army Equipment

Hamstrung by late second generation hardware from the eighties at best, the FAC emphasizes training with the equipment at hand very highly. Soldiers employ the ubiquitous SKS Rifle, produced by license, with some fortunate units sporting FN FAL or Steyr assault rifles. However, there is still no standardization in hand weapons, despite the best attempts by the munitions bureaus, and some brigades employ everything from AK-47s to large-bore hunting rifles! Standard SAW is the soviet PKM 7x62mm machine gun. Sidearms are non-standardised, but thanks to generous arming attempts by standardization committees the Tokarev T-33 (and P54 Chinese variants of same) and Browning High-Power P-35 are almost universally used.

Hand grenades and mines are plentiful in infantry regiments, as are 40, 60 and 80mm mortars and mortars to some extent. Longer range support depend on artillery or air force, although some regiments have towed large-bore trench mortars and field guns. As a curiosity to them and the distaste of their neighbours, the FAC also uses flamethrowers, the domestic AMP-G8 "Dragon"* man-portable incendiary gun, for clearing out trenches and bunkers - not to mention that it is a very effective terror weapon!

Transport workhorse for gear and personnel is the soviet-issue Ural-4320 6x6 all-terrain truck, which incidentally also serves as platform for the BM-21 multiple rocket launcher, for ease of maintenance and repair, and the nifty benefit of providing infantry with highly mobile all-purpose close artillery support. A host of Czech Tatra T815 6x6 and 8x8 trucks are also on hand for transporting light infantry and supplies on roads.

Standard APC/IFV is the SUAPC-80 (for Soviet Union APC 80), also known as the BTR-80. Currently 510 are in service, and nearly half have been upgraded to BTR-80A specifications with the aid of sympathetic foreign advisors. Part of the upgrading process is replacing key parts with specifications that can be produced in Allani, to ease maintenance and repair costs. Other notable APCs is:
- the SUAPC-2 (BRDM-2), variants of it filling the role of Patrol car, ATGM-carrier, SAM/AAG platform 120mm Mortar platform, NBCR recon vessel and Command vehicle.
- Several infantry brigades have 90mm-gun sporting EE-9 "Cascavel" Infantry Fighting Vehicles for close support.
- BMD-2 airborne APCs are used by the ranger special forces, as well as certain infantry regiments.

The main battle tank is the T-72, with numbers in the low-end of 200, and the councils are looking outside to find replacements. A smattering of other tanks like the Centurion, T-55, T-64 and even a few Leopard 1A2 are used by various brigades around the country. Standardization, like elsewhere in the Allani military, is sought efter but rarely achieved. Strategists currently plan after the T-72s capabilities, but talks of modernization has already come up several times.

* As the only domestic weapon thus far produced in Allani still in use (the weapon industry has yet to find it's feet apart from making parts and munitions for systems in use at present), specifications are presented here:

AMP-G8 "Dragon" Incendiary Projector.
Weight: 38 kg loaded
Ammunition: 3.1 U.S. gallons of incendiary fuel.
Rate of Fire: A quarter gallon per second.
Range: 35 metres

While an inefficient weapon, the "Dragon" has at least a few operators in every company. The FMC view on warfare is that the best way of using a tactic is the best way of using it, and the AMP-G8 is considered the best option for terrorizing enemy troops, and as an acceptable method for clearing trenches and bunkers. The handgrip is concealed as a regular rifle to prevent operators from being singled out by enemy marksmen, although users have a bulkier signature from the front (this owes to the tank, of course, but users are often clad in additional body armor because of their vulnerable role). Efforts are underway to place the flamethrower on tanks, so that a twin-linked projector can cover wider arcs of troops and larger fuel tanks can be carried.

Federal Air Force Council

Commanding Officer: Air Marshal Diane Atell

Considered less prestigious than the other branches, the Air Force is nonetheless an integral part of Allani military strategy. Without air superiority and tactical bombing runs, the FMC has few illusions it will be able to wage conventional war in another country.

Squadrons:
5st Sukhoi Squadron
6th MIG Squadron
9th Transport Squadron

Other units of note:
8th Bomber Squadron
12th Rotary Gunship Air Batallion
29th Rotary Transport Air Batallion.

Air Force Equipment

The mainstay of the Air Force AS capacity is the Mig-29, of which 24 are in operation in with the 6th MIG Squadron. All are reasonably new, and have recently avoided disaster as a routine check-up discovered potential stabilizer corrosion, and a replacement and training program with the former soviet union allowed Allani to build necessary parts and continue top-tier maintenance on the Mig force independently.

The Mig-29 in service is designated the AAS-29A, -29B and -29C, configured as such:
AAS-29A: Main Air Superiority Fighter. Armed with standard cannon and 4 SARH missiles, as well as 1 AA-11 and 1 AA-12. Also includes the Phaz. NO10 and NO19 radars.
AAS-29B: Strike fighter. Standard cannon and 2 SARH missiles, as well as 3 AS-12 anti-radar Air-to-Ground missiles and 3 AS-14 heavy Air-to-Ground missiles, 2 of which on external hardpoints.
AAS-29C: Two-seat trainer with simulation package.

The Sukhoi-25 squadron has some 12 operational craft, and fulfills both a CAS and Strike fighter role. Designated the ACAF-25A, the planes in service carry 2 AA-11 missiles for self-defense, as well as the standard cannon, and a variety of ground weapons, including (but not limited to, depending on mission):
AS-11 Air-to-Ground, 500kg Laser-guided munition, 57mm rockets, 105mm rockets, 330mm rockets, Napalm rockets, Parachute AT skeet munitions, and the domestic AFEB-200 Fuel-Air Bomb.

Transport is handled by the AN-26 fleet, of which 5 are fully modernized, and a further 3 are in operation but aging. There is also a helicopter transport capability, handled further down.

As a curiosity for a mid-range nation, the Allani FAFC deploys medium-range bombers for a variety of purposes. The TU-95 'Bear' (Designated the ASB-95B and -C) Air Batallion uses 10 bombers, 4 of them modernized with a better avionics package and a max bomb tonnage of 12,500 kg, spaced out with a variety of missiles, guided bombs, AFEB-200 FAE and dumb bombs.

Rotary Gunship capacity is handled by the ubiquitous Mil Mi-24, of which 26 are Hind-E configurated gunships, and 20 are Hind-D. In Allani service they carry 3 x 56mm or 80mm rocket pods, At-6/At-2C ATGM, 250kg FAB. All employ one 4-barrel gatling-configured 12.7mm heavy machine gun for close assault.

Rotary Transports, organized in the 29th Rotary Transport Air Batallion, consists of 24 Mi-8 'Hip' multi-role helicopters. There are three versions, configured as follows:
AHI-8A: Primary transport, configured to carry 24 troops. 12 in service.
AHI-8B: MEDEVAC version, configured to carry 10 stretchers and 3 medics. 10 in service.
AHI-8C: Escort/CAS version, configured to carry 5 57mm Napalm or HE rockets, and one At-2C ATGM

Apart from this, a smattering of aircraft are in military hands, including Aero L-39 and Yakovlev-52 planes used as trainers, and a variety of homemade or domestic military UAVs.
((Much more to come, no time!))

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